From the Chief

FIRE DEPARTMENT
Town of Sunderland, Massachusetts 105 River Road, Sunderland, MA 01375 Phone: (413) 665-2465 • Fax: (413) 665-7599 www.sunderlandfire.com • Email: fire@townofsunderland.us

From the Chief

From the 2009 Annual Report:

In 2009, the Sunderland Fire Department responded to 358 emergency calls, up 16% over last year. Of these calls, 265 were for emergency medical service (EMS) and 93 were fire calls. Over the last 10 years our call volume has continued to increase an average of 4% per year.

Thank you to all members of the fire department for your continuous dedication and time. Being on a call fire department means most people have regular jobs in addition to being on the fire department. Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) need to take continued training to keep up on the latest standards, trends and requirements of the state and nation. This volunteerism is something to be proud of – you go out and assist your fellow neighbor in need when they need the help the most. Thank you for your time, skills and compassion you give to the citizens of Sunderland.

If there is anyone that is interested in helping out the Fire Department or becoming an EMT, please come and talk to us or call 1-800-FIRE-LINE.

Important reminders to citizens:

	I urge everyone to *display their house number prominently* to facilitate quick response time of emergency personnel. We continue to sponsor the house numbering program, numbers can be ordered through the fire department free of charge for senior citizens and a nominal fee for all others.
	There is *no parking in fire lanes and in front of all fire hydrants 24-7, including the Elementary School.* Cars may be ticketed and/or towed for violators.
	Open burning season is from January 15^th to May 1^st. Burning permits are now available online at www.sunderlandfire.com or www.fcburnpermits.com. Permits are required to be obtained *BEFORE* burning brush. By offering permits online you will have a printed permit in hand and can see if the Town is allowing burning on that particular day. Those without computer access can still call the station at 665-2465 weekdays 8am-12pm or Shelburne Control at 625-8200 on Saturdays 7:30am-12pm to obtain permits. There is no burning on Sundays. Burning cannot start before 10am, must be extinguished by 4pm, and must be attended at all times by the permit holder. Fines will be issued for not following the rules outlined on the issued burning permit or for illegal burning.

I would also like to thank the Sunderland Volunteer Firemen’s Association (SVFA) for their continued support of the Fire Department. Thanks to their fundraising activities and memorial donations received, the SVFA is able to purchase and donate equipment to the Fire Department. In 2009 the SVFA donated the following equipment to the Town:

	Stryker Power Pro Ambulance Cot ($10,408.00)
	Stryker Stair Pro Stair Chair ($2,339.00).

In closing, I thank the following for their assistance this past year: Police Department, Highway Department, Town Office Administrative Team, Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Water District, School Committee, Principal and Superintendent. Please visit our department website at www.sunderlandfire.com for up to date information on your local Fire Department.

Respectfully Submitted By,
Robert T. Ahearn, Fire Chief